The idea of the temple -- the holy precinct, the meeting place of God and man -- is central to all religions. Here, John Lundquist follows it back into the darkness of prehistory, unveiling features that are common to ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian beliefs, Hinduism, Buddhism, Maya and Aztec cults, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. He shows examples that range from Angkor Wat to the biblical Temple of Solomon. The place of ritual and initiation, the mountain, the waters of generation, the pillar joining heaven, earth and the underworld, the path to the innermost sanctuary: these concepts are universal and eternal. They appear in sacred texts and works of art from every time and place, and in the subconscious minds of us all. 130 illus., 15 in color.